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Original poster

MMR-pros and cons?

255 replies

hazlinh · 04/02/2005 09:09

Many many apologies if this has been discussed in great detail in the past...but dd is just going to turn one next week and am wondering what pros and cons there are to having her MMR jab.is it really necessary?or is she better off not having it done

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Jimjams · 04/02/2005 09:19

The pros are that your child shoould be protected against measles, mumps and rubella. SO if you weren't going to give anything at all you'd have to ask how comfoprtable you would be with the idea of your child getting any of these.

he cons are more complicated (and controversial)

The best known is of course the possible autism link. Despite govt reassurances the situation is that good research has shown that it is possible that small numbers of children may have autism triggered by the MMR. Lok at visceral for more info.

Asides from the whole autism thing small numbers of children will have adverse reactions to the MMR (like any jab). A very very small number of these will be serious adverse reactions.

One thing you may want to look at is the timing. MMR used to be given ppost 15 months as it wasn't believed to work very well before then- you might want to postpone for that reason (or look into it) although of course your child is then exposed to the risk of catching the diseases for longer.

or you may want to look into singles. They use the same strains as thge MMR- same jabs- just given seperately which may reduce the risk of adverse reacitons.

Hope that's a balanced reply as I really haven't got the emotional energy for a fight with anyone today. Especially about anything to do with autism.

Jimjams · 04/02/2005 09:20

well and truly misplaced grin- sorry!

Merlot · 04/02/2005 09:23

Hazlinh - just found this thread - hope it helps

Amanda3266 · 04/02/2005 09:30

Hi there,

Yep! You've opened a can of worms here.
Firstly, if you're unsure don't be afraid to delay the jab while you do some further research.
We had the same anxieties about the MMR jab as I think all parents do (and I'm a health visitor) so if it was nerve wracking for me with information at my fingertips then I can only imagine the worries it gives parents without the luxury of all the info to hand.

We did have the MMR for two reasons. Firstly, having looked into all the furore surrounding the controversy I felt that the weight of evidence was in favour of giving the MMR.

Secondly, as a child in the seventies I can remember the panic about the whooping cough vaccine which worried many parents so much they did not have it done. My Mum was panicked into not having my brother immunised and he nearly died from whooping cough a year later.

All the MMR illnesses are usually relatively minor but there are a small number of children who are affected badly enough for the illness to cause long term problems or become fatal (rare).
The MMR has virtually eradicated these problems BUT there has been all the controversy you've seen in the press.

Check out:

www.mmrthefacts.gov.uk

also

www.jabs.co.uk

Also if you type in MMR on Google (UK only) and then search within results for "Science Museum" there is a load of stuff about the controversy on there - it is pro - MMR though.

Hope that helps a bit

Mandy

Original poster
hazlinh · 04/02/2005 09:32

hiya jimjams, thanks for that. just wanted to know, why is it that they recommend the MMr jab at age 1? is it ok then to delay, as you say, until after 15 mths?
also what is it about the MMR that can trigger autism? is it the thimerosal?or is it something else?

merlot, thanks for the thread, am still reading thro it, but its an awfully long one...so am reading it in between my postings...

actually didnt want to think about the MMR until february 11 when dd turns one, but suddenly found out am going to tsunami-struck Aceh in Indonesia and wonder if I might somehow become exposed to either measles or mumps or any other diseases and somehow infect dd when I return. Altho I'm only going to be in Aceh for less than 24 hours, is the possibility of infection a real cause for concern?

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Original poster
hazlinh · 04/02/2005 09:33

oh hiya mandy, posts crossed there. will check that out

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Uwila · 04/02/2005 09:34

If you wish to go for single jabs, you can find lots of people on this website who can advise some private doctors who provide them.

Where are you?

TracyK · 04/02/2005 09:35

ds is almost 1 too - and I have the same worries. I do think I'll have mmr - but would much rather wait until he's a bit older. I still feel that to give a triple dose of (any) vaccinations all at once to such a little baby goes against my instinct.
At what age do they give MMR in other countries??

Original poster
hazlinh · 04/02/2005 09:35

right, those two urls dont exist mandy!!

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Original poster
hazlinh · 04/02/2005 09:38

am in Malaysia and the advice is one year and a booster later (i forget when)i dont know if the one here contains thimerosal. will have to call dr and ask him this evening or tmrw

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Uwila · 04/02/2005 09:38

The most serious of the three diseases aginst which MMR protects (Measels, mumps, and Rubella) is measels. The MMR is given after 12 months because before 12 months the measels component is not as effective. For this reason, if you opt for single vax, they will generally give the measels one first.

Original poster
hazlinh · 04/02/2005 09:43

but the measles one is ineffective BEFORE 12 months? so even if I'm exposed to measles now, no point in vaccinating dd?

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Original poster
hazlinh · 04/02/2005 09:45

since this matter is obviously too complicated and controversial for me to decide on before i go to aceh on monday, would it then be best to quarantine myself from dd for a few days when i come back?
mebbe send her to mums or mil's?

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Uwila · 04/02/2005 09:51

hazlinh,
Why don't you get your own immunity checked? Now, I'm no doctor, but I would think that if you are guarded then that protects you daughter from getting it. Isn't this why boys are immunised for rubella -- not because it is a danger to them but because being immunised prevents them from passing it on to a pregnant woman, and hence damaging her unborn child.

Jinjams/anyone, have I got this right?

Original poster
hazlinh · 04/02/2005 09:56

er oh gosh how do i get my immunity checked? but i never did get immunised against rubella or mumps? my mum claims i was against measles but i honestly dont remember it and doubt it

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Laylasmum · 04/02/2005 10:04

if you were vaccinated against measles then your records should say so. How old are you btw? just asking because if you're in your early 20's you probably had the single measles jad or the measles /rubella jab yourself.

Uwila · 04/02/2005 10:07

Didn't they give you a rubella jab after your baby was born? I had a low immunity when I was pregnant with dd (two years ago). They obviously don't inject you while pregnant, but the norm is to offer it to you as you depart from hospital.

Jimjams · 04/02/2005 10:14

hazlinh- MMR won't contain thimerosil. There are sweveral theories as to how/why it may trigger autism in some children - but complicated. I can summarise but poosibel not today- too long. The viisceral website gooes into it in some details though

yoyo · 04/02/2005 10:50

Jimjams - sorry to take up your time as I'm sure it's in rather short supply at the moment. Will read through Visceral info when DS isn't demanding attention but could you clarify whether the single maesles has also been found to be a contributing factor or is it only as part of the MMR. DS is 2 now and if I give it to him want to do it whilst still BF so must make a decision soon. Also, is there ant evidence that points to a link between age of receiving vaccine and subsequent problems?
Thanks if you are able to advise - fully understand if you can't.

Jimjams · 04/02/2005 12:59

I'm still spelling thimerosal incorrectly! Mind you my spelling has gone to pot today.

AFAIK yoyo- and this is off the top of my head- there have been occasional cases of reported regression following single measles (also usual bad brain damage stuff- my aunt used to care for an adult who had been left severely brain damaged following a measles jab-- should point out here the dept of health would say that the chances of that happening are lower than from the disease itself).

The age thing is really difficult to measure as it takes so long to get a diagnosis (for example I suspected autism at 17 months but diagnosis wasn't given until post 3). Those sorts of problems make analysiis very diffcicult (and tbh either ""side" coould use it too prove what they wanted iyswim). There have been attempts to get round it by noting ""age of parental concern" but often those studies rely on GP visits- and I never approached my GP about autism concerns- I think that's quite common.

If yoou want a personal story ask onlyjoking for advice as her son regressed following MMR.

Amanda3266 · 04/02/2005 15:44

Apologies for the wrong urls (blush)
Will look them up again!

Amanda3266 · 04/02/2005 15:45

OOPs! It was www.mmrthefacts.nhs.uk

Amanda3266 · 04/02/2005 15:45

And www.jabs.org.uk

jabberwocky · 04/02/2005 15:49

I am pretty sure that here in the states they do not give the MMR until 15 months. We have elected for singles but are still looking for someone to do it! So, ds is almost 18 mos. and nothing yet...

Original poster
hazlinh · 06/02/2005 14:46

sorry for the long lapse, internet / pc suddenly went bonkers for the past 2 days...

laylasmum,uwila: i am 27, was supposed to get the rubella jab at school i think but i missed it, and they mustve forgot to inject me at hospital post-delivery too. everyone i know has had it done, except me, and i've never had the chance to go and do it.

well, am going to aceh at 0430 monday morning. hopefully shud be back home by 2200 that same day. i'd really like to get deeper into the MMR discussion, esp with jimjams after that, if that's ok.

there's been a case here highlighted in the papers recently, a girl who developed steven johnson's syndrome (i think that's the name, i could be wrong) and went blind and has swollen feet among other things after getting the MMR jab. obviously that's just the tip of the iceberg.
many thanks to veryone for the helpful posts

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